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Agents of Change

Members

Promotions

Debuted

Disbanded

The Agents of Change (formerly known as Protestors[1] or The Contingent[2]) were formed during the reign of Triple H as COO. They are a heel stable unsatisfied with management decisions, who co-operated with a walkout that ended with Hunter being relieved of his duties.

Contents

Etymology

2011

Prelude

John Laurinaitis had been the head of talent relations for many years. David Otunga got a taste for power when, after winning an NXT competition, he got to be Raw GM for a day. Both men coveted the position. They eventually began to form a friendship, and manipulated other superstars' grievances to gain power.

Formation

The group began with the United States Champion Dolph Ziggler and his manager Vickie Guerrero. They were joined by enforcer (and fellow former World Heavyweight Champion) Jack Swagger, who Vicky also began to manage. The pair unsuccessfully contended for the tag titles but were unable to wrest them from Air Boom. Vicky attempted to bring in Mason Ryan as an ally, but he immediately turned on them in their first match together, aiding Air Boom.

After being joined by Harvard Graduate, the Juris Doctor David Otunga, the agents widened their power base by incorporating former world heavyweight champion Christian along with the current Intercontinental champion Cody Rhodes from Smackdown. Christian had had experience with litigation, as he used it to win back the title from Randy Orton in the past. Cody is also an enemy of Orton, having bitterness over the Legacy betrayal and recently, Randy splitting Cody's head open with the ring bell.

Recruitment

The group has worked in close association with John Laurinaitis, their actions helping to discredit Triple H and bring Laurinaitis his role as General Manager of Raw.

The former Johnny Ace tried to cover this up and claimed ignorance of the planned walkout.[3]

The agents were then joined by Alberto Del Rio, who lent his weight as WWE Champion to bring 3 of the singles titles under their flag. In doing so, it seems that he and Christian put their past post-Wrestlemania rivalry behind them.

Del Rio had in the past been given unprovoked sweet chin music from HBK, a friend of Triple H's, which could have been the early start of his hostility towards the Cerebral Assassin.

Co-operation

Only the then-current world champion Mark Henry has not officially affiliated with the group, although he was in his own way helping to bring down Hunter's reign by his attack on Jerry Lawler.

Divas lend their support.

Smackdown wrestlers lend their support.

Eventually even Mark Henry and other superstars from Smackdown joined the Agents in a WWE boycott against Triple H.

The group also got support from the heels in the Diva division, led by Beth Phoenix.

They even managed to recruit the support of Jerry Lawler in supporting their boycott.

Even though Triple H referenced Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne (tag champions as Air Boom) as some of the hard-working super-stars who worked hard without complaining, even they joined the boycott.

While Miz and Truth did not join the boycott (as they were already suspended), their attack on Alberto Del Rio (which was hinted at to be orchestrated by Laurinaitis) was a factor in ADR's recruitment to the group and Otunga's allegations of excessive violence and risk to the superstars.

Aftermath

After November 2011, the group seems to have drifted apart with Ziggler,Swagger and Vickie heading into a feud with Zack Ryder, Otunga becoming an assistant to John Laurintus, Christian getting into a feud with Sheamus and getting injured, Alberto Del Rio going to a feud with CM Punk and Cody Rhodes headed into a feud with Booker T.

Members and their allies lost power. Dolph Ziggler lost his US title to Zack Ryder, Alberto lost his WWE title to CM Punk, and Mark Henry lost the heavyweight title to Big Show.

2012

Reuniting

While Laurenitas no longer had any support from world champions, Cody Rhodes has continued to retain his title, and Swagger managed to win the US title back from Ryder.

Due to his lack of impartiality in the CM Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler matches, John almost lost support of the Board of Directors. Ultimately they reviewed him and kept him instated as the interim GM for RAW. Triple H's attempt to fire him was distracted by the return of the Undertaker.

On February 17, 2012, the Smackdown before Elimination Chamber, a change was foreshadowed by John and David visiting Teddy Long. They questioned his leadership by not having 'star power' to make the Battle Royale for Randy Orton's spot in Elimination chamber exciting.

In spite of Otunga shiftily eyeing the GM position (which he had held for a night previously) during John's rough patch, John supported Otunga by recommending him for the match, which he almost won until being eliminated by the winner Santino (who had stood against prior heel stables through APPLE).

In response to his generosity, Otunga revealed a plan to John about how he could become the GM of Smackdown in addition to Raw.

On February 19, during Elimination Chamber 2012, David and John conferenced with 3 superstars who did not have a chance to participate in it. Mark Henry, Christian and Alberto Del Rio had all been out with injuries and showed solidarity once more in supporting John.[4]

Both Christian and Mark had been denied championship opportunities by Teddy (Henry had recently been suspended for pulling on his tie) and the pair of Smackdown superstars were particularly hostile to Teddy Long and want John to replace him as SmackDown GM.
In the past, Ziggler had also attacked Teddy Long so that Vicky Guerrero could take over his position, which was a key tool in Ziggler's defeating Edge to win the World Heavyweight Championship.
Around WrestleMania 28, Mr.Laurinaitis began recruiting members for his team against Team Long, having the big three members of The Agents join with David Otunga as captain, Mark Henry as the muscle and the returning Christian as the brains.